Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content, such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and/or the like. These systems may be capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, (e.g., a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, a new radio shared spectrum (NR-SS) system, and/or the like). A wireless multiple-access communications system may include a number of base stations, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple wireless communication devices, which may be otherwise known as user equipment (UEs).
A wireless communications system may operate over shared spectrum, meaning that the wireless communications system includes one or more frequency bands that may be shared by multiple network operators (e.g., multiple network operating entities). In some instances, sharing of the frequency bands may include subdividing the frequency bands into ever-smaller bands dedicated for use by specific network operators. In other instances, at least portions of band spectrum may be available for use by more than one network operator.
A network operator may synchronize access for wireless nodes (e.g., base stations) associated with the network operator. However, each network operator of a group of network operators may not synchronize access among the group. For example, a first network operator may utilize a first timing for utilization of a first channel and a second network operator may utilize a second timing for utilization of a second channel. Use of the available band spectrum may be subject to a contention procedure that may involve the use of a medium-sensing procedure. For example, to avoid interference between different devices operated by different network operators, the wireless communications system may employ medium-sensing procedures, such as listen-before-talk (LBT), to ensure a particular channel is clear before transmitting a message. A lack of synchronization between network operators intending to utilize shared channels of a wireless communication system may result in a failure to utilize all available network resources. Accordingly, improved procedures for allocating and using shared spectrum between network operators are desirable.